The Butterflies of Allestree Park

Butterflies are the most popular of insects, though many other kinds of insects are equally beautiful but suffer from a ‘bad press’.

In Allestree Park you can find several butterfly species, some more abundant than others. All are dependent on suitable habitats being present, differing according to species and ranging from woodland and scrub to grassland. It is important that these are managed sensitively. Butterflies generally have suffered a noticeable loss in numbers over the last fifty years or so due to building development, intensive farming and pesticides. Climate change has caused a few species to increase several others to decline.

The Higher-Level Stewardship scheme for the Park (instigated in 2015) is designed to enhance some areas of the Park for wildlife, including butterflies. A ‘butterfly bank’, not far from the main car park, was installed in 2017. This will provide a south-facing slope where butterflies can bask during warm weather, together with various nectar-rich flowers for feeding.

Over the past four years during the spring and summer four people have been conducting a weekly survey of the butterflies to be seen in two areas of the Park, under the aegis of Ken Orpe, the Derbyshire Butterfly Recorder of Butterfly Conservation. This provides a continuous valuable record of how the butterflies are faring and how the various changes to the Park’s management are affecting them.

Most of the butterfly species which have been seen in Allestree Park are illustrated here. The photographs were taken either in the Park or near to it.

Small Skipper

Habitat: Flowery grassland

Caterpillar foodplant: Various grasses

On the wing: July and August

Small Skipper

... showing the more clearly the tips of the antennae - only half black,

contrasting with the very similar Essex Skipper, illustrated below.

Essex Skipper

Habitat: Flowery grassland

Caterpillar foodplant: Various grasses

On the wing: July and August

This species was first acknowledged as British, in Essex, in 1890. Since then it has been found in many parts of England.

It is very likely that it has been with us long before and that it was being confused with the Small Skipper

This species causes far less damage to brassica crops than the Large White.

It is less heavily marked than the Large white, the spring brood (as here) having paler grey spots and wing tips than the summer brood.

Green-veined White

Habitat: Sunny borders of woods, woodland rides,

marshy areas

Caterpillar food plant: Garlic Mustard also known

as Jack-by-the -Hedge, Lady's Smock -also known as Cuckoo Flower, Great Bitter Cress, some other wild members of the Cruciferae (mustard family)

On the wing: May and June; August and September

Orange Tip (male)

Habitat: Roadside verges, woodland edges, damp grasslands

Caterpillar foodplant: Lady's Smock also known as Cuckoo flower; Garlic Mustard also known as Jack-by-the-Hedge, great bitter Cress

On the wing: May to early July

Only the male has the distinctive orange tips.

Orange Tip (female) - on flowers of Lady's smock.

Both sexes have the intricate green mossy pattern on the undersides of the hind wings.

The female lacks the orange tips.

White letter Hairstreak

Habitat: Woodland edges and roadsides where elms are present.

Caterpillar foodplant: English Elm, Wych Elm, Small-leaved Elm.

On the wing: June to August

This is the scarcest of the butterflies known to breed in Allestree Park. In fact it is now nationally scarce due to the decline in elms as a result of Dutch elm disease (which appeared in Britain in the 1960s).

As part of a project organised by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the Friends of Allestree Park and the Appletree Hundred Group of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust planted a number of disease-resitant elms in the woods near the main car park (which already had some dying elms) in 2014.

Purple Hairstreak

Habitat: Woodland containing oak trees

Caterpillar foodplant: Foliage of oak trees, both native and non-native.

On the wing: Late June to September

Photographed by Derek Brownlee in Shropshire

This species is very difficult to photograph as it spends much of its time flying around the tops of oak trees, hence no photo taken in Allestree Park.

This resident butterfly, formerly one of our most common, has suffered a serious decline in recent years. The reason is thought to be an increase in the numbers of a parasitic fly, due to global warming.